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Quiraing Mountains and Landscape

Scottish Highlands & Isle of Skye

(8 days / 7 nights)

4.9
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The perfect taste of Scotland

Spend a week exploring Scotland’s top attractions and see what makes this country so beautiful and special. This self-drive road trip takes you from the historic capital of Edinburgh into the rugged Highlands. Admire the spectacular scenery and stop along your route to visit ancient graves and medieval castles. Enjoy two nights on the Isle of Skye, surrounded by the breathtaking sights of this iconic island. Then, drive back to Edinburgh via the enchanting Glen Coe and Trossachs National Park.

4.9

8 days / 7 nights

Price p.p. from

The amount will be charged in GBP

Approx 1396 GBP

See Book With Confidence terms

— Why book with Nordic Visitor

  • Hassle-free & seamless travel experience
  • Flexible & customisable tour options
  • Quality & value for your money
  • Trusted local experts in Scotland
  • Great customer reviews

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— Book With Confidence

  • Optional cancellation insurance
  • Affordable deposits from 10%

Terms and conditions apply

Tour Highlights

  • Explore some of Scotland’s top sights on the famous and breathtaking Isle of Skye
  • Walk along the mysterious Loch Ness and visit the castle on its shores
  • Discover Scotland‘s historic capital Edinburgh and stroll up the Royal Mile
  • See the striking natural beauty of the Scottish Highlands
  • Enjoy some quiet time in nature at the Trossachs National Park
  • Explore the Capital of the Highlands, Inverness, and its surroundings
  • Photograph the iconic Eilean Donan Castle
  • Take in the breathtaking beauty of Glen Coe
  • Enjoy a road trip with peace of mind with your personal itinerary from a local travel expert

 

Travel style

Self-Drive i

Interest

Best Seller i, Castles and Royalty i, Classic i, Countryside and natural scenery i, Culture and History i, Heritage i, Highlands i, Honeymoon & Romance i

Season

Apr - Oct

Departure

Daily

Interest

Best Seller i, Castles and Royalty i, Classic i, Countryside and natural scenery i, Culture and History i, Heritage i, Highlands i, Honeymoon & Romance i

Driving distance

900/560 km/mi

Itinerary

A day-by-day plan to guide your journey.

  • Day 1: Arrival in Edinburgh

    Make your way into Edinburgh city centre where your hotel will be located. Many travellers opt to take a taxi or use public transport, but for a more direct and comfortable ride, we will be happy to organise a private airport transfer for you. For those arriving early in the day, we recommend spending the afternoon walking through the city, strolling along the Royal Mile and exploring the Old Town and New Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are also plenty of museums and landmarks to visit within the city centre, including the majestic Edinburgh Castle.

    Spend the night in Edinburgh. 

    Attractions Attractions Attractions Attractions Attractions Attractions Attractions See Activities for this day
  • Day 2: Into the Highlands

    Start your road trip driving into the Highlands. On the way you’ll have many possible stops, such as the picturesque village of Dunkeld and the 13th-century Blair Castle. Driving through the Cairngorms National Park you could also stop at the Highland Folk Museum. Arriving near Inverness, you can drive to the Battlefield of Culloden Moor, to see where the last battle on British soil occurred in 1746, marking "the beginning of the end for the Highlands." Nearby you can visit Clava Cairns, a series of tombs and standing stones dating back roughly 4,000 years.

    Spend the night in the Inverness area.

    Driving distance: 251 km / 156 miles

    Attractions Attractions Attractions Attractions Attractions Attractions Attractions
  • Day 3: Loch Ness, Castles & Isle of Skye

    Today‘s journey will take you from Inverness to the famous Isle of Skye. Drive along the shores of Loch Ness and, if you have time, take a boat tour in search of its notorious and elusive monster, or go explore the nearby Urquhart Castle ruins. Further along the drive, make a stop at the iconic Eilean Donan Castle. When you arrive on Skye, your first stop will be at the scenic village of Portree, where you can explore and admire its colourful buildings and dine at a local restaurant.

    Spend the night on the Isle of Skye or nearby.

    Driving distance: 185 km / 115 miles

    Attractions Attractions Attractions Attractions Attractions See Activities for this day
  • Day 4: The Isle of Skye

    Today take full advantage of your day on Skye, a haven for nature lovers. We recommend driving to the northern part of the island and taking your time around all the attractions on the breathtaking Trotternish Peninsula. There you can enjoy a walk up to “The Old Man of Storr” rock pinnacle and see the beautiful Kilt Rock Waterfall. Other highlights include the Quiraing rock face, the An Corran Beach at Staffin, where you may spot ancient dinosaur footprints, and the mystical Fairy Glen.

    Spend another night on the Isle of Skye or nearby.

    Driving distance: 70 km / 45 miles

    Attractions Attractions Attractions Attractions Attractions Attractions
  • Day 5: Sleat Peninsula & Glenfinnan

    Head south to the Sleat Peninsula, admiring the beautiful beaches, lochs, and glens of the region. You may wish to stop on the way to enjoy a walk to the crystal-clear Fairy Pools at the foot of the Black Cuillin Hills or to sample Single Malt Whisky at the Talisker Distillery. In the afternoon, catch a ferry from Armadale to Mallaig on the mainland. On your drive to Fort William we recommend stopping at Camusdarach Beach and at Glenfinnan where you can visit the Glenfinnan Monument, overlooking Loch Shiel, and admire the viaduct, featured in Harry Potter.

    Spend the night in the Fort William area.

    Ferry duration: 30 minutes

    Ferry from Armadale to Mallaig: 30 minutes

    Driving distance: 135 km / 85 miles

    Attractions Attractions Attractions Attractions Attractions Attractions
  • Day 6: Travel Along Dramatic Glens

    Today’s journey takes you past Scotland’s most famous valley, Glen Coe, which offers world-famous scenery. You could stop at the grave of Rob Roy at Balquidder and the beautiful Falls of Dochart in the village of Killin. Alternatively, you could travel the longer scenic route via the seaside town of Oban onto the historical valley of Kilmartin Glen and past the charming village of Inveraray. This region is considered to have one of the most important concentrations of Neolithic and Bronze Age remains in Scotland, including cairns, standing stones, and castles.

    Spend the night in the Trossachs National Park area.

    Driving distance via Glen Coe: 130 km / 80 miles

    Driving distance via Kilmartin Glen/Inveraray: 285 km / 180 miles

    Attractions Attractions Attractions Attractions
  • Day 7: Trossachs National Park to Edinburgh

    Today’s drive will bring you back to Edinburgh (you can choose to end your trip in Glasgow in the optional activities below). Drive through the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park, where you could stop to take a walk in nature, enjoy an optional steamship tour on Loch Katrine, or visit a local whisky distillery. For a fun photo opportunity, don’t miss Doune Castle, featured in Monty Python & the Holy Grail and Outlander. If time allows, you could also stop by Stirling Castle, one of Scotland’s top attractions, or at the impressive Kelpies, two giant horse-head sculptures.

    Spend the night in Edinburgh. 

    Driving distance: 130 km / 80 miles

    Attractions Attractions Attractions Attractions Attractions See Activities for this day
  • Day 8: Departure From Scotland

    On your day of departure, we recommend taking the Airlink bus or a taxi directly from your hotel to reach the airport. If you would like to add any additional nights to your trip or to arrange a private transfer, you can do so during the booking process. If your flight is in the afternoon, you may have time for some last-minute shopping, to visit one of Edinburgh’s museums, or take one last stroll through the charming city centre.

    See Activities for this day

Optional extras

Customise your adventure with these Optional Extras.

We recommend adding your extra activities to the tour now for the best booking experience and to secure your spot, as activities are likely to sell out.

Map

Here’s a map of your travel route, to help put things in perspective.

Reviews

We don’t like to brag, so we’ll let our happy customers do it for us.

We enjoyed the experience

Eve had arranged everything! Maps and points of interest were highlighted, vouchers all arranged, Historic Scotland passes were widely used. I was used to manually arranging details for a trip, but Eve took care of it all, so we could just enjoy the experience. She even arranged for champagne at 2 of the stops for our anniversary!

I would highly recommend this tour!

The tour was excellent. The information provided was detailed and helpful and the accommodation was fantastic. While on the tour it was wonderful to have someone we could call to help with any issues. I would highly recommend this tour!

Extremely helpful

From the very beginning Emily was extremely helpful. The staff laid out a beautiful itinerary that made sense and allowed me to really see more then I could have imagined while in Scotland.

We liked the suggestions and route map

We liked that the suggestions of places to visit and the route were marked clearly on the map provided. We were confident that each stop was booked, and there were no surprises.

Fantastic

I was a solo traveller, not expecting at all to have as much fun as I did. The hosts at the accommodation were extremely friendly and the daily itineraries were very detailed so that one could choose what I preferred. More information (or GPS locations) for the hikes would probably be useful as it took always a bit to find the right location to start the walks. Everything went very well and hosts at the accommodation were fantastic.

I appreciated the personal attention to detail

Nordic Visitor took care of every detail and remained true to the description on their website. My personal itinerary was full of recommendations and served as an easy to follow guide. Duncan, my tour specialist, highlighted and made notes on the map, which was very useful! I appreciated that personal attention to detail. My overall experience was extraordinary. I will definitely recommend and will consider my next vacation with Nordic Visitor.

Accommodation

Sleep soundly, in the accommodation type of your choice, and wake up ready to enjoy another day of exploration.

Comfort Plus

Standard rooms in good quality and comfortable three-star hotels in combination with well-appointed guesthouses or country hotels.

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Superior

Standard rooms in four-star hotels or boutique guesthouses in combination with Superior rooms in premium three-star hotels.

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Rental car

Enjoy your road trip with a free GPS and Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) to reduce liability.

Toyota Yaris (manual)
or similar

  • x4
  • x3
  • x1
  • M

Toyota Yaris (manual)
or similar

  • Description: Economy
  • Passengers: 4
  • Luggage: 1
  • Doors: 3
  • Transmission: Manual

Vauxhall Astra (manual)
or similar

  • x5
  • x5
  • x2
  • M

Vauxhall Astra (manual)
or similar

  • Description: Compact
  • Passengers: 5
  • Luggage: 2
  • Doors: 5
  • Transmission: Manual

Toyota Auris (automatic)
or similar

  • x5
  • x5
  • x3
  • A

Toyota Auris (automatic)
or similar

  • Description: Economy
  • Passengers: 5
  • Luggage: 3
  • Doors: 5
  • Transmission: Automatic

Ford Mondeo (automatic)
or similar

  • x5
  • x5
  • x4
  • A

Ford Mondeo (automatic)
or similar

  • Description: Standard
  • Passengers: 5
  • Luggage: 4
  • Doors: 5
  • Transmission: Automatic

BMW 520 (automatic)
or similar
limited availability

  • x5
  • x5
  • x4
  • A

BMW 520 (automatic)
or similar
limited availability

  • Description: Premium
  • Passengers: 5
  • Luggage: 4
  • Doors: 5
  • Transmission: Automatic

Kia Sportage (automatic)
or similar
limited availability

  • x5
  • x5
  • x3
  • A

Kia Sportage (automatic)
or similar
limited availability

  • Description: Intermediate SUV
  • Passengers: 5
  • Luggage: 3
  • Doors: 5
  • Transmission: Automatic

Mercedes Vito (automatic)
or similar
limited availability

  • x8
  • x3
  • x5
  • A

Mercedes Vito (automatic)
or similar
limited availability

  • Not available between 28 April - 2 May
  • and 12 May - 12 August
  • Description: Premium Passenger Van
  • Passengers: 8
  • Luggage: 5
  • Doors: 3
  • Transmission: Automatic*
  • *manual option available upon request

Price per person from

The amount will be charged in GBP

Approx 1396 GBP

Book with confidence

Monthly price comparison

Our best price per person when booking for two.

2023
2024

Tour Information

We recommend that all our travellers read through the following information about driving in Scotland, what the tour includes, the itinerary, accommodation, and other useful information for your travels.

ABOUT OUR SELF-DRIVE TOURS
This is a self-drive tour, which means you will follow a detailed and personalised itinerary during your road trip in Scotland. No dedicated driver or tour guide is included. All accommodation, rental vehicle, and other planned activities or added services will be pre-booked by Nordic Visitor (as specified in the itinerary). As this is a self-drive tour, you are welcome to stop when and where you wish on your drive. Except for accommodation and booked activities, other highlights we’ve listed in the itinerary are suggestions based on Nordic Visitor favourites.

TRAVEL SEASONS IN SCOTLAND
Scotland is beautiful all year long, but we want travellers to be aware that the summer is the high travelling season, with July and August being the peak months. Due to this fact, many of the highlights, such as Isle of Skye and Edinburgh, will be extremely popular and offer limited availability, for attractions, accommodations, restaurants and tours alike.

For a more relaxing experience, we recommend booking well in advance or arriving during the shoulder season, from April to June or September and October. However, if you wish to travel in July or August, we will endeavour to make this a great adventure.

ACCOMMODATION
Our team of local travel experts carefully selects hotels, B&Bs, and guesthouses around the country based on excellent ratings, personal experience and comfort. Generally, in Scotland, whilst room sizes may vary, our room types are based on European standard sizes. Please note that twin rooms, triple and family rooms are not commonly available in Scotland, so please contact us for booking assistance if that is something you would like. Please also be aware that, due to the historic nature of the properties we usually select, most of the rooms are only accessible by going up stairs, as there are often no lifts available. Please contact us if you are not able to walk up stairs.

DRIVING IN SCOTLAND
The roads in Scotland are usually in good conditions all year long and are renowned for their road trip worthiness. Please be aware that in the UK motorists drive on the left side of the road (and on the right side of the car). If you are not used to driving on the left, we highly recommend choosing a vehicle with automatic transmission for your self-drive tour. If you want a manual transmission vehicle, keep in mind that you will need to shift gears with your left hand (floor pedals are the same). Drivers will also have to get used to the narrower roads of the UK as well as the rural single-track roads with passing places and be careful of animals on the road.

For inexperienced drivers who still want to explore and discover Scotland, we recommend one of our guided small group tour or our privately guided tours, where you will have a local, experienced guide at the wheel.

ARRIVAL/DEPARTURE FROM GLASGOW
If you are planning on arriving in Glasgow, you could book a private transfer from Glasgow Airport to your accommodation in Edinburgh to start the journey in a comfortable way. During certain tours, you will have the options to end your trip in Glasgow, rather than Edinburgh, as well if that is more convenient for you.

SAFETY & WEATHER CONDITIONS
Please note that sightseeing and transport is dependent on weather and road conditions and might need to be altered if conditions are not favourable. This includes ferries and drives. If something unexpected occurs, you can call our 24-hour helpline to speak directly with a Nordic Visitor staff member.

CURRENCY RATE
All bookings are charged in British Pounds (£, GBP). Prices displayed in other currencies are indicative only and based on the daily exchange rate. Therefore, conversions from GBP to other currencies will fluctuate from day to day.

AFTER BOOKING WITH NORDIC VISITOR
After booking your package with Nordic Visitor, you will be contacted within two business days by one of our travel consultants who will serve as your dedicated contact person for all your travel needs before, during and even after your holiday. Your travel consultant will provide you with details about your booking and your remaining payment (if not paid in full). You will also receive more information about what to expect during your holiday.

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